And the numbers are: 29-64-46-53-73 and a Mega Millions ball is 10.
A surge in ticket sales pushed the value of the Mega Millions jackpot to $540 million on Thursday before the Friday drawing.
Lottery officials said “significant public and media interest” has spurred an onslaught of new ticket buyers willing to try their luck.
If a winning ticket is claimed following Friday’s drawing, the winner can choose to take the total jackpot in annual payments over 29 years or opt for a one-time payout of about $380 million minus taxes.
A Mega Millions drawing has not produced a grand prize winner for about four months, causing this jackpot to swell to record levels. At $540 million, it’s the third biggest Mega Millions game ever.
It’s also the seventh largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history. Powerball, the other major multi-state lottery game, has already produced two top-10 prizes so far this year — including the record busting $1.586 billion jackpot that was claimed in January.
Both games have nearly identical rules, but Powerball tickets are slightly more expensive at $2 or $3 each. Mega Millions tickets are $1, or $2 if the buyer opts for a $1 “Megaplier” add on, which is available in most states. Mega Millions is played in 44 U.S. states, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Similar to Powerball, players choose six numbers: five regular numbers and a yellow mega ball number. The “Megaplier” option can increase the value of a non-jackpot prize — which are awarded for partial matches — by up to five times. But it doesn’t affect the value of the grand prize.
To claim the jackpot, a ticket must match all five white ball numbers and the yellow mega ball. It’s a feat with extremely long odds — about 259 million to one.
